Before Hogwarts
by LadyEckert
Summary: Neville Longbottom, an awkward and friendly boy, tries to adapt to his secret from the muggles with the help of some friends going through the same dilemma.


**disclaimer: The following are not my characters. All character names are property of J.K. Rowling.**

"Honestly Frank, sit down. You're making the muggles stare," Augusta sighs.

The past six hours have been spent pacing the waiting room floor; he can almost see the oval pattern his feet have made in the carpet. He has never been more anxious in his life. She's right though, there's a small muggle child peaking his head around the door way while his parents check in. Not keeping calm tends to make bright orange sparks fly out the tip of his wand; it has always been a nervous habit of his. Frank heaves a big sigh and sits in between his mother and father on the stiff grey couch.

"What if, I don't know, maybe the baby decides to blow up the nurses hands?! Or maybe it has a third arm?" Frank is almost in tears

"We could end up having a half giant grandson. Wasn't your great aunt Janise part giant Augusta, or maybe it was…"

"Enough Harvey," Augusta cuts him off. Frank is all but writhing now with the images his father has put in his head.

"Mr. Longbottom?"

"Oh thank Merlin!" Frank scrambles to his feet to follow the nurse in a light pink dress back to his wife's room. Room 116 has been where his wife has been going through labor for six hours. "A quick labor, one of the fastest I've ever seen actually" Alice's nurse tells Frank on their way to the room. Six hours at St. Mungos would have been delivery for six different babies. Alice, however, insisted that they go to the muggle hospital in Sutton, Surrey the Royal Marsden. With all the mess of the war, she said she wanted their babe brought into some sort of calm, while it may not be their norm.

"He's perfect," dotes Augusta standing next to Alice's bed looking over her shoulder.

"Have you picked a name?"

"Well, Harvey, I think we've settled on Neville," Alice says quietly, "after my father, of course. I know my parents would have been so happy to see this for us. Thank you, Augusta and Harvey for staying with Frank. I'm sure he was a nervous wreck."

"I still don't understand why he couldn't be in here with you, Alice," Harvey scowls. "I was with your mum through the whole hour Frank."

Frank has been curled up on the bed with Alice in silent awe of his new born son while his mum and dad ooh'd and awww'd over him as well. A small knock at the door brings him out of his revere.

"It must be everyone" Alice assumes aloud.

Slowly a group of wizards crowd into the small hospital room. All of them were donning some kind of welcome to the world gift. A small stuffed Hippogriff, balloons that put off a halo of blue light, a miniature sword with red rubies in the hilt, and baby sized wand.

"So sorry we're late. Quite the confusing tram system these muggles have," a large brooding man grumbles.

"Not to mention the Death Eaters at Hogs Head as a time stealer," a small squirrely guy whispers

"Peter!" Alastor chides

"What?" Frank jumps up "What Death Eaters? Is everyone okay? Why were they there?"

"Idiot," a rough looking man named Remus chimes in.

A tall dark man steps up to Frank to calm him down, "It was really not a big deal. We didn't want you and Alice to worry while you were here."

"Well, what happened Kingsley?" Alice asks. Just then the door creaks open again. A medium height man with dark hair pulled back in a tie holding a bright yellow potted plant that slowly spins at the head of the flower enters.

"Hope I'm not disturbing you all too much," the man whispers

"Of course not Sirius," Frank stands to greet Sirius with a hand shake taking the plant and setting it on the night stand. "How did it go for Lily and Evan?"

"Just wonderfully, really, half an hour and the little guy was there to greet us. Looks just like his dad already. The Healers at St. Mungos had mum and babe ready to go home just an hour after. That's why I'm late. Had to see little Harry on his way."

Augusta, who has been playing with Neville's tiny toes, walks to the nightstand to look at the peculiar plant, "what is this, exactly, Sirius"

"I don't know to be honest. The gentleman at the apothecary said it is supposed to bring clarity to a youths magic."

Augusta scoffs, "I doubt our little Neville will need this. Look at who his mum and dad are."

As Augusta and Alice admire all of the gifts brought for Neville, Remus pulls Sirius aside, "did you get the patronus?" Sirius nods solemnly, "do you think it could mean him?"

"Or Harry," Sirius says under his breath.

"Please, Remus, Sirius, quit trying to spare us. What happened at Hogs Head?" Frank, who did not miss the secret meeting between the two, pleads. Everyone is paying attention now. It seems that even tiny Neville has awoken from his slumber to listen to the news. Kingsley takes a deep breath before he begins.

"Albus had Remus, Peter and I meet him at the Hog's Head early today. He said Sybil Trelawney had a prophecy of sensitive information to share. I have never taken what the woman has to say to heart, but you know Albus."

"What was the prophecy?" Harvey asks

"It was about Voldemort and his possible down fall," Remus answers. "Sybil says that the one to vanquish him will have power beyond his own. Either the chosen one or Voldemort will have to die."

Frank has been pacing the room trying to digest the information he has just received. Alice has been quiet the whole time but still just as engaged in the conversation as her husband. "What of the Death Eaters than," Alice inquires.

"They were there. They wanted to hear the prophecy to pass it onto Voldemort," Kingsley says. "They wanted to know who might be the one that is supposed to end their Lord."

"But the prophecy gave no hint to who it could be, did it" August asks confused.

"Well," Remus answers, "actually, there were no names, but she said the chosen one 'will be born as the seventh month dies'."

"Albus sent me his patronus while I was with the Potters," Sirius says. "We fear it could be Harry. They've already decided to relocate and Peter is going to them to be their secret keeper. I'm too obvious to do it for them."

"It's time for us to get you three out of here as well. We need to find a place to hide Neville," says Remus.

"Why?" Alice asks, "I don't understand."

"Alice," Frank starts "'born as the seventh month dies' it could mean the Potter's son, yes, but Neville was just born today as well. We need to leave, now. Hurry and gather our boy up. We'll apperate out of here to, to, well, I don't know. Where are we to go Remus?"

"With us," Augusta steps forward and says in a very stern voice.

"No. That would only be putting you and Harvey in the line of Voldemort." Alice is almost in tears. She needs to protect her baby boy but she could not put Frank's parents in harm's way either. Alice lost her parents when she had just come of age. They had always dabbled in Herbology while she was growing up and the week she finished Hogwarts, their dabbling took an ugly turn. While at a convention "Mundane Plants with Magical Uses" an ill intending convention goer added Belladonna fluid to bowl of Pumpkin juice. Alice could not risk letting Frank loose his parents so young as well.

"Listen Alice, this could be your best chance at protecting Neville if he is the chosen one," Remus tries to convince her. "August and Harvey have never been in the front lines of the war. You and Frank have done well at keeping them distant enough through the past ten years. He may not even know that Frank's parents are alive."

"Not yet," Alice begins.

"But this could give your family a head start. We do not know when He is going to decide to attack."

Harvey, who has been quiet since the news, sits down on the edge of Alice's bed and puts his hand on her knee (her hands busy cradling his grandson) "Alice, for as long as I've known you, you have thought of everyone but yourself. You are the bravest and most selfless woman I know. It is time that you let those who love you take care of you. I will not have my grandson, son, and daughter be in an unfamiliar place with this horrible threat looming on their doorstep. If you are going to be in danger, you will be in danger under my roof. We are a family and we take care of one another."

Choking back her tears Alice nods her head. Feeling the distress in his mother, Neville begins to cry. With the decision made by Harvey and agreed upon by Frank and Augusta, the group of Aurors gathers up the family's belongings and Peter speaks up.

"Who will be their secret keeper?" It is obvious by the tremble in his voice that he is not volunteering.

"I will be," Remus says with no questions from any of the company. The all nine stand, Alice hugging her baby boy close, and without another word apperate to Frank and Alice's new home.


End file.
